Today I began teaching my first of four summer theme camps at the preschool...it's build a fairy/gnome house from a wooden bird house week. Needless to say, I've got small worlds on my mind. Today was just an introductory day. The kids chose their houses, we gathered supplies on a nature walk and we read fairy inspired stories. I can already tell it's going to be a fun week and the children are so excited to begin decorating their houses. I'll be able to show them here by the end of the week.

In May we celebrated the last three birthdays of the year at the preschool.

For Fritz - a deer tucked in a crocheted pouch

For Banneker - a cat

For Audrey - a cat

I love the anticipation and joy on each childs face as they unwrap their birthday gift. Even though each child has received (basically) the same gift (a wooden animal in a knit or crocheted pouch) and they know what they may find in the birthday box, there is still so much excitement and surprise at seeing what is inside. To see all of the gifts we made check here to see them on Flickr.

Yesterday was our May celebration. Usually held on May first, we changed the festival to the last day of school. We did not want a repeat of last year where it snowed as we tried to picnic, do circle and make egg carton cup flower garlands. It was very sad and May first this year was just as cold. Yesterday, however, we reached a balmy 88 degrees and the children fully enjoyed themselves playing with friends, running through the grass and making pinwheels. Sadly, I have no photos of the event, but if you are a friend on facebook, you can see some photos that the parents took.

June tomorrow! I can hardly believe it. I start teaching my summer camps at the preschool on Monday already. If you live locally and would like your child (age 3-6) to take a class, click here for more information. I teach all the June camps and my teaching partner the ones in July. We always have a great time. I'll be sure and post our projects as they happen.

End of year always seems to fly in fast motion. Birthdays, a festival, field trips, preschool graduation, last day of school for me on Friday, then I start teaching summer camps on Monday. So many gardens to tend to, so many things going on. Posting just takes a back seat.

Scroll over each photo if you'd like to learn a little more about the photos.

I'm working on a lot of projects. Hopefully I'll get to share them here soon.

My teaching partner and I continue in our tradition for this year of birthday gifts at the preschool. She makes the adorable tiny wooden animals and I knit or (as I did this month) crochet a little pouch for carrying.

This weather has been challenging my mood. It's been all rain and sleet for days and it seems like no end in sight. It's almost May! It really shouldn't be 35 degrees. All the open spaces around the lake by my house are turning into large ponds. Pathways are now buried beneath water. We've already postponed our preschool May Day festival Thursday as it looks like more of the same. Bah!

Enough already! It was a tough winter and we are all ready for brighter days.

I have to count my blessings for the work I do. If it were not for the children I may have lost my ability to laugh by now. But they find such joy in any kind of weather. A child's laughter is something quite precious and infectious. If they can do it, so can I.

The pull to get out in the garden and plant my seeds is too strong. Our Minnesota weather just will not cooperate and it is not heating up fast enough for me!

I thought I'd give kitchen-window-gardening a try and set these two ends of romaine in water to see what I'd get. The lettuce on the right has been in water six days the one on the left for three. I'll let you know if I ever grow enough to make a salad!

For Lydia. I knit the pouch in linen stitch...I just love how it looks like weaving.

For Morgan. Finally a girl who did not choose a kitty as her favorite animal. I love this elephant! Pouch was crocheted with a braided chain for wearing.

For Penina. She is a friend of Julen's and in Kindergarten with him. He insisted on the "gnome doll necklace"....color choice was his also.

My teaching partner was out yesterday so I had to quickly think of a handwork project for the kids to do. How I've missed teaching handwork to the children!!...it's been a nice break with my partner having a turn this year, but I never realized how much I've missed it!

We made water colored coffee filter butterflies. So much fun and such a happy project for this slow to arrive spring we are having. They looked so pretty as the children waved them (flying) through the air on their sticks.

Finally...more mud play. I'm sure we haven't seen the end of messy outdoor clothes for a while.

Our crazy weather has us in a melt/freeze rotation that has been providing lots of mud in the backyard at the preschool. The children quickly discovered that by either sitting in the mud or by simply scooping it up with their mittens they are able to create lots of pictures and designs by "painting" or making "butt prints" on the side of the garage (forgive the awful phone photos...I hadn't planned on taking pictures and I had to act quickly to catch the kids in action).

Once they've covered the wall, they clean their "canvas" by rubbing snow on it to clear the dirt. It is quite a process and so much fun for me to watch.

It should be noted that I do not recommend that the children try this at home without their parents consent and also that the parents have all communicated that they know it was a "good day" by how muddy their childrens clothing comes home to them.

We celebrated two half birthday's in February. We want to make sure each child is honored on their special day at the preschool and as 12 of our 19 children have a summer birthday we are more often celebrating half birthdays than actual ones.

More wooden kittens for the girls, made by my teaching partner. The top one for Madison, with a pastel crocheted pouch made by me...I added a long chain stitch cord made for wearing around the neck. The bottom one for Elsie...a bright colorful pouch for this little ray of sunshine.

And the sweet sheep? Why that one was made for me...when we ask the children what their favorite animal is I always share mine too and I never change...it is always the sheep. Provider of wool and milk that makes some of my favorite cheese. I celebrated MY birthday on Tuesday and my friend surprised me with my own little animal (however, we didn't bother singing "the earth goes round the sun..." for each year of my life!...we'd have been at the snack table forever!!)

It's been a busy week...catching up after my stay in Mexico. But I think I'm finally there.

I got stuck on the hair. It took me a while to figure out something that would be durable enough with all the play. And (of course) I kept putting them down again and again and again.

I introduced them to the kids this week and my heart was bursting! They were brought into play immediately...they were nutured, loved, held, fed, rocked and given their own special beds with silk blankets.